France has signaled strong support for India’s Make in India defence initiative, indicating a willingness to pursue deeper industrial partnerships and greater localization in future defence programmes. The development comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France and is being viewed as an important step in strengthening strategic cooperation between the two countries.
According to reports, French officials have suggested a new model for defence collaboration that places greater emphasis on manufacturing and value creation within India. Rather than focusing solely on equipment exports, the approach aims to expand local production, technology transfer and industrial partnerships.
The proposed framework could play a key role in future Rafale-related programmes. The Rafale fighter jet, manufactured by Dassault Aviation, has become a cornerstone of India-France defence relations following India’s acquisition of 36 aircraft for the Indian Air Force.
French support for increased localization aligns closely with India’s push for self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Policymakers in New Delhi have been encouraging foreign defence companies to manufacture products in India and collaborate with domestic firms.
Industry experts believe that deeper cooperation could create opportunities for Indian aerospace suppliers, component manufacturers and defence technology companies while strengthening the country’s indigenous industrial base.
The evolving partnership reflects the growing strategic importance of India-France relations across defence, technology and geopolitical cooperation. If successfully implemented, the model could serve as a template for future high-value defence projects involving advanced technologies and local manufacturing capabilities.
